Bulk material cargo containers are conventionally used, at different times, to house or contain different fluid-like or flowable bulk cargo materials, such as, for example, dry bulk chemicals, resins in powdered, flaked, and pelletized forms, flour, coffee beans, grains, rice, sugar, and the like, while the bulk cargo materials are being shipped or transported from one location to another by means of, for example, ship, truck, railroad, and the like. Since different bulk cargo materials are shipped or transported within particular bulk material cargo containers at different times, it is imperative that the bulk material cargo containers effectively be clean so as not to contaminate the bulk cargo materials comprising a particular bulk material cargo load with residual bulk cargo materials which may remain within the bulk material cargo container from a previously shipped or transported bulk material cargo load. Accordingly, in order to eliminate the normally necessary cleaning of each bulk material cargo container hold after a particular bulk material cargo load has been unloaded or discharged from a particular one of the bulk material cargo container holds, it has become conventional within the industry to employ removable bulk material cargo container liners within the cargo holds of the bulk material cargo containers wherein, after a particular bulk material cargo load has been delivered to its destination and discharged or unloaded, the bulk material cargo container liner is simply removed from the bulk material cargo container whereby the bulk material cargo container is again useable, without a significant amount of cleaning being required, for carrying another bulk material cargo load typically comprising fluid or flowable bulk cargo material. Bulk material cargo containers, having bulk material cargo container liners disposed therein for shipping or transporting fluid or flowable bulk cargo materials, may be found, for example, within U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,896 which issued on Aug. 19, 1997 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,563 which issued on Aug. 6, 1996 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,037 which issued on Feb. 6, 1996 to Stopper, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,476 which issued on Jun. 6, 1995 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,621 which issued on Jun. 29, 1993 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,710 which issued on Mar. 16, 1993 to Podd, Sr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,735 which issued on Oct. 6, 1992 to Podd, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,170 which issued on Aug. 11, 1992 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,722 which issued on Dec. 5, 1989 to Podd, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,765 which issued on Sep. 17, 1985 to Moore.
In connection with the aforenoted use of bulk material cargo container liners within bulk material cargo containers, it is noted that conventionally, bulk material cargo container liners are provided with an upper intake port through which the bulk cargo material is conducted into the bulk material cargo container liner, and a lower discharge port through which the bulk cargo material is discharged or exhausted outwardly from the bulk material cargo container liner. When the bulk cargo material is in fact to be discharged from the bulk material cargo container liner, the discharge port is opened, and gravitational forces will initially cause the bulk cargo material to naturally and automatically flow outwardly through the discharge port of the bulk material cargo container liner. This procedure will continue until the bulk cargo material reaches or attains its natural angle of repose, as determined along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material, at which point in time the various forces acting upon the bulk cargo material will effectively be equal and opposite to each other so as to attain or define a state of equilibrium whereby the bulk cargo material will be disposed in a static state and will no longer be able to flow. More particularly, for example, the vector of gravity which is operating or oriented along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material, so as to accordingly act upon the bulk cargo material in order to normally cause the bulk cargo material to naturally or automatically flow, will effectively be counteracted by means of other force vectors inherent to or characteristic of the bulk cargo material, such as, for example, conglomeration forces, nesting forces, frictional forces, shear forces, and the like.
The nesting or shear forces are or may be determined, for example, by means of the size, shape, and density characteristics of the bulk cargo material, whereas the conglomeration forces are or may be determined, for example, by means of moisture, additives, and other characteristics of the bulk cargo material. It can therefore be further appreciated that when the angle of the slide surface of the bulk cargo material, along which the bulk cargo material will normally flow, is equal to or less than the aforenoted angle of equilibrium, or in other words, the angle of repose of the bulk cargo material, the bulk cargo material will remain static and will not flow due to the fact that the force vector of gravity operating or oriented along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material is in fact sufficiently counteracted by means of the other aforenoted force vectors similarly operating or oriented along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material. Conversely, when the angle of the slide surface of the bulk cargo material, along which the bulk cargo material will normally flow, is greater than the aforenoted angle of equilibrium or the angle of repose of the bulk cargo material, the bulk cargo material will become dynamic and will in fact flow due to the fact that the force vector of gravity operating or oriented along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material is now in fact greater than, overcomes, or exceeds the other aforenoted force vectors similarly operating or oriented along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material.
Conventionally, the most common manner by means of which the aforenoted flowability characteristics of the bulk cargo material can be affected, altered, or adjusted, is to cause the bulk cargo container to undergo a tilting operation by means of which, for example, the front end of the bulk material cargo container is lifted to an elevational level which is higher than the back or rear end of the bulk material cargo container. More particularly, when a particular bulk material cargo container, carrying a particular bulk cargo material, undergoes a predetermined amount or degree of tilt, the particular bulk cargo material will once again begin to flow under the influence of gravity, and may accordingly be conducted toward the discharge port of the bulk material cargo container, because the angle of the slide surface of the bulk cargo material, or in other words, the angle of incline or decline, is now greater than or exceeds the angle of repose of the bulk cargo material such that the vector of gravity, operating or oriented along the slide surface of the bulk cargo material has effectively been increased so as to be greater than, exceed, or overcome the aforenoted nesting, frictional, shear, and conglomeration force vectors. It has been experienced, however, that the implementation of such bulk material cargo container tilting operations is not always easily or readily able to be accomplished, particularly in a cost-effective manner.
Normally, for example, in order to comprise economically viable bulk material cargo transportation, delivery, and distribution systems, the systems comprise an operative integration of bulk material cargo container transportation facilities, such as, for example, rail hopper cars or a fleet of bulk material cargo container tractor-trailer trucks, sea-going bulk material cargo container ships, and the like. In addition, bulk material cargo container tilt apparatus or mechanisms are conveniently or viably positioned at predetermined locations adjacent to or near the bulk material cargo container transportation facilities for operatively handling the aforenoted rail-hopper cars, tractor-trailer trucks, and ship containers in order to discharge or unload the bulk material cargo loads carried thereby. Still further, silo or other similar bulk material storage facilities are also conveniently or viably positioned at predetermined locations with respect to the aforenoted transportation and handling facilities so as to be capable of storing the unloaded bulk material cargo loads in preparation for, or in conjunction with, the distribution of such bulk material to end user customers. Unfortunately, as may be readily appreciated, the construction and operation of such an integrated transportation, handling, and distribution system is relatively expensive. Accordingly, it is only economically viable for such integrated transportation, delivery, and distribution systems to be constructed and operated by relatively large-sized companies located primarily within highly-industrialized nations. Therefore, it is appreciated still further that relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies are not able to viably compete economically with such relatively large-sized companies in view of the fact that such medium-sized and small-sized do not have access to, or the economic resources to construct and operate, the aforenoted integrated bulk material cargo container transportation and handling facilities, or the bulk material storage and distribution facilities.
At best, if such relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies nevertheless desire to engage in bulk material cargo load transportation, handling, and distribution businesses, and try to be competitive with the relatively large-sized companies, they are often forced to lease necessary services or facilities from the relatively large-sized companies which, again, is not economically advantageous. However, if a bulk material cargo container system could be developed wherein tilt-type handling apparatus or systems were no longer necessary for discharging or unloading the bulk material cargo load from the bulk material cargo containers, or in addition, if apparatus or systems could likewise be developed wherein auxiliary silo-type storage facilities were likewise no longer necessary for storing and distributing bulk material cargo loads from bulk material cargo containers, then the relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies could enjoy the economic advantages to be derived from bulk material cargo load transportation, handling, and distribution systems. The relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies could therefore in fact viably compete economically with the relatively large-sized companies.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new improved bulk material cargo container liner system, for use within bulk material cargo containers, wherein tilt-type handling apparatus would no longer be necessary for unloading or discharging bulk material cargo loads from bulk material cargo containers, and in addition, a new and improved bulk material cargo container liner system, for use within bulk material cargo containers, wherein auxiliary silo-type storage facilities would likewise no longer be necessary for storing and distributing bulk material cargo loads from bulk material cargo containers, whereby relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can enjoy the economic advantages to be derived from bulk material cargo load transportation, handling, and distribution systems such that the relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can in fact viably compete economically with the relatively large-sized companies.